Beauté Prestige International (BPI) and fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa have signed a licence agreement for the creation, manufacture and worldwide distribution of fragrances and cosmetics under the Azzedine Alaïa brand.
BPI CEO Rémy Gomez commented: “We are delighted and honoured that Mr Alaïa, one of French couture’s masters, has entrusted BPI with the task of creating his first perfume. What a wonderful challenge for BPI: to translate Alaïa’s world, which has radiated for 30 years, into perfume. His designs are a celebration of the [female] figure. He is a sculptor, a virtuoso of the cut; his dresses are a “second skin” which possess an almost supernatural power to sublime the wearer.”
Alaïa added: “Beauté Prestige International corresponds perfectly to the spirit of the Alaïa house. I am delighted to work with them in launching this new project. I have total confidence in Beauté Prestige International to accompany me in creating a perfume that interprets my work and my world.”
COMMENT: The house of Alaïa is a savvy – and potentially very lucrative – addition to the BPI portfolio, which will lose its successful Jean Paul Gaultier business when that fragrance licence expires in 2016. As previously reported, in May 2011 Spanish fashion-to-fragrances house Puig added to its stable of designer brands by acquiring a majority stake in Jean Paul Gaultier, snapping up the 45% stake owned by Hermès.
While BPI has admitted the Gaultier loss is a blow, it remains firmly focused on the future and has reiterated its commitment to developing “interesting” brands. Alaïa is exactly that. Both companies have a shared vision of luxury, style and elegance. And while the designer’s moniker might not trip off the tongue as easily today as certain others, the cognoscenti will remember how the “King of Cling” blazed the body-con trail in the 1980s. The Alaïa name resonates still.
And soon scent will enhance its portfolio. BPI has a history of taking eclectic, lesser-known fashion brands (Issey Miyake, Narciso Rodriguez, Elie Saab) and building, from scratch, a flourishing fragrance business that perfectly reflects each individual house’s DNA. The smart money says Azzedine Alaïa will be no exception.
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